aiken



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

H. AIKEN. I TRACK CROSSING APPARATUS.

No. 308,298. -Patnt ed,Nov. 13, 1884.

eim/g ATTORN Y.

(Nd Model.) 2 sheets-sheet- H. AIKEN. TRACK GROSSING APPARATUS. No. 308,298. Patented Nov. 18 1884.

ITNSES: \INVENTO'R, I

ATTORNEY.

A lhviTnn fiTaTns PATENT @rnrcn.

HENRY AIKEN, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO DAVID EDGAR PARK, OF SAME PLACE.

TRACK-CROSSING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,298, dated November 18, 183%.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it-known that I, HENRY AIKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvementsin Track-Crossing Apparatus, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, Figure l isaview in perspective of a railroad-track crossing adapted to the practice of my invention; Fig. 2, a plan or top view of a truck or carriage for traversing the broken track of said crossing; Fig. 3, a side view of the same; Fig. 4, a plan view illustrating a modification of said truck; Fig. 5,- a side view of the same; Fig. 6, a side view and vertical section showing portion of a system of intersecting overhead telegraph rails and conveyers embodying my invention, and Fig. 7 a plan view of the same.

The object of my invention is to enable a main line or lines of railroad or other track rails, either supported or suspended, to be crossed by an intersecting line or lines, without interrupting the continuity of said main line or involving interference with the traverse of vehicles over the intersecting line by reason of the gaps or breaks in the track thereof at the crossing of the main line.

To this end my improvements consist in the combinatiomwith a supporting-frame, of four axles fixed in position as against vertical movement thereon, and carrying supportingwheels tangential to a common horizontal line; also, in the eombination,with a line of track-rails which is broken or interrupted to admit of the passage of vehicles over an uninterrupted line of track-rails intersected by said broken line, of a carrying-frame supported by four axles which carry wheels tangential to a common horizontal line, and are fixed as against vertical movement in said frame at such relative distance as to maintaintwo of said supporting-wheels continuouslyin contact with the track-rail; also, in the combination of an unbroken line of track-rails suspended from an upper support, aline of trackthe passage of a carriage thereon. and a car-- riage adapted to traverse said broken lllln andsupported by wheels on four axles maintained in position vertically on the carriage. The improvements claimed are hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I have illustrated therein the application of my invention to the crossing of a main line, 1, of railroad-track and a siding or branch line, 2, the rails of each of which are unbroken by an intersecting line of track, 3, having gaps or openings in its rails to admit of the passage of the main and siding rails and of the flanges of wheels running thereon. It will be obvious that cars or trucks of ordinary construction could not be employed upon the intersecting line 3, as their wheels, being unsupported, would drop into the gaps of the rails, and to obviate such result l provide a truck or carriage consisting-of a suitable frame, 4, supported by four axles, 5 5 6 6,

each fitted with a pair of wheels, 7, having treads or faces of suitable width to traverse the rails 3, two or more pairs being provided with flanges of proper depth to maintain the truck in position laterally on the tracl ltis an essential feature of the construction of the carriage that the axles shall be fixed as against vertical movement relatively to the frame, and in this instance the axles are secured thereto, the wheels being fitted to rotate freely upon end journals on the axles, as in the case of mining-cars. Axles having wheels fixed upon them and rotating in bearings secured rigidly to the frame may, however, be substir tuted for the fixed axles shown without variation of principle or result. The wheels of the two end or outer axles, 5 5, only are flanged, those of the intermediate axles, 6 6, being plain or having fiat treads, in order to facili tate the passage of the carriage around curves; but said intermediate wheels may also be flanged, if desired, the construction in this particular being dependent upon the length of the carriage and the curvature of the line. The level of the rails of the line 3 should be sufficiently above that of the lines 1 and 2 to enable the flanges of the carriage to clear the latter in crossing them. The axles 5 56 6 are ICO located and maintained, as above stated, in position vertically on the carriage, and their wheels being of uniform diameter, those o n each side are tangential to a common horizontal line, which coincides with the upper sun face of the rails on which they run. The truck being thus supported at four points on each line of rails of the track 3, two of its wheels on each side will be at all times in contact with the rail, and their axles will therefore sustain the weight of the truck and its load irrespective of the relation of the remaining wheels to the gaps or openings of the rails, as illustrated in Fi 3. The truck is thereby carried over the gaps of the crossing without shocks or jars thereat, and the wheels of each outer axle are prevented from dropping into the gaps by the bearing of the wheels of two of the remaining axles upon unbroken portions of the line.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5,the intersecting track 3 is provided with. an additional line of rails, 14, laid centrally between the lines on which the wheels of the intermediate axles, 6 6, traverse, and each of the end or outer axles, 5 5, carries a single plain or fiat wheel, 15, adapted to traverse said central line. The carriage is thereby supported at all times by two of its axles, as in the case first described.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate, in elevation and in plan, respectively, the application of my invention to suspended track-rails, as in overhead telegraphs, employed for conveying masses of heated iron from place to place in steam-forges and rolling-mills, the employment of intersecting lines upon closely-adjacent levels being thereby rendered conveniently practicable. The unbroken lines of track-rails 17, which are suspended by hangers 8 from the rafters or stringpieces 9, are crossed by rails 10, which are suspended at such distance below the level of the lines 17 as is suificient to permit the wheels of the conveyers traveling on the rails 10 to clear the rails 17, and are broken or interrupted below each of said lines, to afford passage for the downwardly-projecting arms of the conveyers 11, which travel thereon. The carriages or conveyers of the broken intersecting lines are composed of a frame, 12, having a downwardly-projecting arm, for the attachment of the load to be moved, and four supporting wheels or rollers, 13, having flanges on both sides and mounted in linelongitudinally in bearings in the frame 12. It will be seen that said carriages are supported at three points in passing over the gaps 'of their trackrails, and can, with their loads, be traversed thereon without impediment from said gaps, while the movement of the conveyers on the upper rails, 17, is effected with the same facility as where intersecting lines are not employed.

Trucks of the construction hereinbe'fore described may be adapted to support the body of a street-railway or other car, and in operation will obviate the objectionable shocks and wear and tear heretofore occasioned by grade-crossings. My improvements are likewise applicable to suspended tracks of various descriptions, and by their use the transfer of heavy articles to different desired locations in mills, warehouses, &c., can be greatly facilitated.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a truck or carriage, the combination of a supporting-frame, four axles fixed against vertical movement thereon, and wheels mounted on said axles tangentially to a common hori- 8o zontal line, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a continuous line of track-rails, an intersecting line of track-rails which is broken or interrupted to admit of the passage of said unbroken line, and a truck or carriage adapted to traverse said intersecting line, and supported upon four axles, which are fixed against vertical movement and carry wheels tangential to a common horizontal line, substantially as set forth. v

3. The combination of an unbroken line of track-rails suspended from an upper support,

a line of track-rails suspended below the level of said unbroken line and broken or interrupted to admit of the passage of acarriage 5 thereon, and a carriage'adapted to traverse said broken line, and supported by wheels mounted on four axles fixed against vertical movement in the carriage and tangential to a common horizontal line, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY AIKEN.

\Vitnesses J. Snowman BELL, R. H. XVHITTLnsEv. 

